The Italian Garden: Restoring a Renaissance Garden in Tuscany

The remarkable story of the project undertaken by Paul Bangay and Monash University to transform a neglected car park at the university's Prato campus in Tuscany into a traditional Renassance walled garden, befitting its location. The Italian Garden is part restoration story, part vicarious travel tale and a completely facinating story of how the discovery fifty years ago of a series of neglected and hidden fifteenth century frescos led to the creation of the stunning Palazzo Vaj garden, inspired by the water features, grottos and planting symmetry of classic Italian Renaissance gardens.

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Cecilia Hewlett is the Director of the Monash University Prato Centre and a historian of the Italian Renaissance. Narelle McAuliffe is the Communications and Alumni Engagement Coordinator for the Monash University Prato Centre. Paul Bangay is one of Australia's pre-eminent landscape designers and gardening authorities. He is the author of nine books and was awarded the Centenary Medal (General List) for his contribution to Australian landscape design.